President Stresses Central Role of Decent Work in Fighting Poverty, Inequality, as General Assembly Marks International Labour Organization Centenary
With millions at risk of losing their job to automation amid increasing global inequality, policies ensuring decent work and protection from exploitation are more critical than ever, the General Assembly heard today, as it commemorated the 100th anniversary of the founding of the International Labour Organization (ILO).
United Nations Secretary‑General António Guterres, in his opening remarks at the high‑level commemoration, said that ILO has been a “trusted voice” to expand opportunities for young people, break glass ceilings for women, and ensure social justice for all.
As the world experiences profound uncertainty, disruption and technological transformation, Governments need to mobilize like never before to provide support and social protection for all people, Mr. Guterres stressed. Innovations such as artificial intelligence could potentially help power economies and progress on the Sustainable Development Goals.
“At the same time, we will face tremendous disruption in the labour market — with an enormous amount of jobs created and destroyed,” he said.
In recent years, ILO has been at the forefront in recognizing the need for fairer globalization that expands opportunities, reduces inequalities and answers people’s demands for the opportunity for decent work — a concept which itself is embedded in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
General Assembly President María Fernanda Espinosa Garcés (Ecuador) recalled that when ILO was founded in 1919, the world was emerging from brutal war and bloodshed. The specialized agency’s founders were far‑sighted enough to understand that labour rights were an essential ingredient for peace and that growing economic interdependence required solidarity with workers.
Today, 100 years since the agency’s inception, there are over 180 ILO conventions — on everything from gender equality to forced labour, she noted. But sadly, injustice is still a reality for millions. Over 40 million people today are victims of modern slavery; 190 million are unemployed; 300 million are considered “working poor”; and 2 billion are engaged in informal work, often without any protection.
Decent work remains central to fighting poverty and inequality, she continued. It is vital to empowering women, young people, minorities, indigenous peoples and persons with disabilities. ILO is the “standard bearer” in that sense, she said, adding: “One thing is clear — issues of social justice will become even more important as the world of work changes.”
Guy Ryder, Director General of ILO, recalled that the specialized agency was established 100 years ago this week by the Commission on International Labour Legislation of the Paris Peace Conference. This “wild dream” prevailed for many years to come, as it shaped labour policies across the globe and gave substance to the constitutional principle that labour is not a commodity.
“ILO’s journey has not been a straight path,” he continued. In its first 25 years, it overcame the Great Depression, authoritarianism, renewed cataclysmic conflict, the collapse of the League of Nations and wartime exile. Today, ILO’s fundamental principles and its decent work agenda are pillars of the 2030 Agenda. While much progress has been achieved over the past century, work conditions involving injustice still exist for many. They must be addressed with the same urgency as in the past.
The Assembly also heard from several speakers delivering statements, including Economic and Social Council President Inga Rhonda King (Saint Vincent and the Grenadines), who stressed that workers in today’s changing labour market need an “entirely new set of skills”. She also called for a redoubling of efforts to implement the 2030 Agenda and ensure that “no one is left behind”.
The Assembly also heard from labour experts, including Sharan Burrow, General Secretary of the International Trade Union Confederation, who said that working people have simply lost trust in institutions, globalization, and in many cases, in democracy itself. “Labour rights and standards cannot be denied by the market,” she added.
Erol Kiresepi, President of the International Organisation of Employers, said employers believe in a fair playing field in business and want to be part of the solution. A skilled workforce is the backbone to success.
Jolly Amatya, a representative of the United Nations Major Group for Children and Youth, said that $1.7 trillion is spent each year on military expenses, because economic models cannot tell the difference between instruments of war and those of well‑being. “Unchecked growth is an existential threat,” she stressed.
Two panels were held in the afternoon, focusing on “Addressing Unfinished Commitments to Achieve Decent Work for All” and “Shaping the Future of Work”. In the first, participants considered how countries, businesses and organizations can help meet unfinished commitments in achieving decent work for all. Speakers underlined the need to put workers at the centre of labour policies, ensure responsible business conduct and restore balance with the environment. In that vein, they stressed that there can be no future at all without moving towards a low‑carbon economy.
In the second panel, speakers laid out the challenges that will face the workforce, including job loss due to automation and artificial intelligence. They noted with concern that income inequality continues to grow and stressed the importance of lifelong learning. Some 65 per cent of the jobs young children will have in the future do not yet exist. Hence, the future of work requires all sectors to work together, including Governments and businesses.
The General Assembly will continue its commemoration of the 100th anniversary of ILO at 10 a.m. tomorrow, Thursday 11 April.
Opening Remarks
ANTÓNIO GUTERRES, Secretary-General of the United Nations, said that the International Labour Organization (ILO), despite being amongst the oldest members of the United Nations family, remains to this day one of the most unique gathering spaces in the international system. “Its tripartite governance model is a source of strength and legitimacy,” he stressed. Workers, employers and Governments come together through dialogue for shared solutions. Through its tripartite consultative and governance model, ILO has consistently been able to put its finger on the pulse of people’s concerns, he continued.
Through conflict and peace, democracy and dictatorship, decolonization and the cold war, globalization and turbulence, ILO has played a central role in the struggle for social progress, he said. In recent years, the specialized agency has been at the forefront in recognizing the need to build a fair globalization architecture that expands opportunities, reduces inequalities and answers people’s demands for the opportunity for decent work — a concept which itself is firmly embedded in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
“The ILO has been a trusted voice to expand opportunities for young people, open doors and break glass ceilings for women, and ensure social justice,” he added. Commending ILO Director-General for choosing to focus this centenary on the “Future of Work”, he noted that the world is experiencing a time of profound uncertainty, disruption and technological transformation. Innovations such as artificial intelligence will help power economies and progress on the Sustainable Development Goals.
“At the same time, we will face tremendous disruption in the labour market — with an enormous amount of jobs created and destroyed,” he added, calling for a massive investment in education and a focus on learning. “We need a new generation of support and social protection for people. We need to mobilize Governments and all actors like never before,” he emphasized.
MARÍA FERNANDA ESPINOSA GARCÉS (Ecuador), President of the General Assembly, said that ensuring decent work is one of her top priorities. When ILO was founded in 1919, the world was emerging from four years of brutal war. Millions had died, cities lay in ruin, and amidst all this, leaders decided that an ILO was an essential ingredient for peace. ILO’s founders were far-sighted, understanding that growing economic interdependence would require international cooperation on labour and solidarity with workers.
Fast forward 100 years and there are over 180 ILO conventions — on everything from gender equality to forced labour, she noted. But sadly, injustice is still a reality for millions. Over 40 million people today are victims of modern slavery — more than twice the number involved in the transatlantic slave trade. There are also 190 million unemployed people worldwide — a third of whom are young. The working poor is made up of 300 million people, half of whom are young. And 2 billion people are engaged in informal work, often without social protections. Decent work is central to all efforts to fight poverty and inequality. This is key to empowering women, youth, minorities, indigenous peoples and persons with disabilities.
ILO is the standard bearer for Sustainable Development Goal 8 — decent work, she continued. It is leading the way on the future of work, to ensure that the world harnesses the opportunities — and mitigates the risks — of the rapid changes seen today in technology, in demography and in the climate. “One thing is clear: issues of social justice will become even more important as the world of work changes,” she stressed. Decent work for all must become a reality.
GUY RYDER, Director General of the International Labour Organization, recalled that the specialized agency was established 100 years ago this week by the Commission on International Labour Legislation of the Paris Peace Conference. ILO was the most positive and enduring product of the Treaty of Versailles, he said, describing its birth as the first step in the construction of a multilateral system and a forebearer of today’s United Nations. “Never has the idea of ‘we, the people’ been given such inclusive form,” he said. The “wild dream” embodied by ILO prevailed in the ensuing years, shaping labour laws and policies across the globe and giving substance to the constitutional principle that labour is not a commodity. Indeed, the primary goal of labour policy must be the advancement of the material and spiritual well‑being of each human being.
“The ILO’s journey has not been a straight path,” he continued, describing a history that was often tested by the turbulence of history and the world’s economic and social realities. In its first 25 years, the agency overcame the Great Depression, authoritarianism, renewed cataclysmic conflict, the collapse of the League of Nations and wartime exile. Meanwhile, ILO and the United Nations embraced their partnership from its outset, and the former was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1969. By its seventy‑fifth anniversary, ILO’s membership had increased — largely due to the freedom brought to many peoples by decolonization — and the agency had reached near‑universal membership in an era often proclaimed as the liberal “end of history”.
In fact, he said, that era heralded a new chapter in ILO’s history, as many sought a social dimension to the globalization model driven by deregulation and new technologies. The agency’s fundamental principles and its decent work agenda — namely, jobs, social protection, social dialogue and rights — are now pillars of the 2030 Agenda. “More than a cause for celebration, the centenary that we commemorate today is time to reflect on our purpose, and on the course we chart forward,” he said, emphasizing that the world of work is today undergoing unprecedented and transformative change, with instability, anxiety and fear on the rise. Citing widespread disillusionment about the prospects for sustainable social and economic progress, he declared: “The very principles of multilateralism are called into question.”
Against that backdrop, the 2030 Agenda — with decent work at its heart — stands as the international community’s response, he said. Noting that ILO’s Global Commission on the Future of Work recently published a “Centenary on the Future of Work” report, he said it sets out 10 key recommendations on a human‑centred agenda for growth and development, one which places women and men and the work they do at the centre of social and economic policies. “The Commission makes the evident yet crucial point that the future is not yet decided for us,” he said, stressing that instead it will be the result of the choices made in the service of a common future. The Commission also argues for a series of investments in people’s capacities, in the institutions of work and in the sustainable and decent jobs of the future. All actors must take responsibility, not least in the multilateral system. “We have progressed much over the past century,” he said. However, work conditions involving injustice, hardship and privation still exist for many, and must be addressed with the same courage and urgency as in the past.
INGA RHONDA KING (Saint Vincent and the Grenadines), President of the Economic and Social Council, stressed that universal and lasting peace can only be established if it is based on social justice, human rights, dignity, the rule of law and non‑discrimination. Meanwhile, decent work for all has a key role to play in the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals, as highlighted in Goal 8. Underlining the need to transform current job skills and profiles, she said social and environmental concerns will increasingly impact the world of work. “Today’s workers need an entirely new set of skills” and a new system of learning to adjust to the changing labour market, she said.
Recalling that the annual High‑Level Political Forum to be convened in July under the auspices of the Economic and Social Council will conduct an in‑depth review of Sustainable Development Goal 8 — as well as other closely related goals focused on education, reducing inequality, climate change and peaceful societies — she said ILO has long been an active and engaged partner of the Council. Meanwhile, the latter and its functional and regional commissions are an important link in promoting the 2030 Agenda’s implementation, with labour representing a central theme. In that vein, she called for redoubled efforts to maintain momentum around the upcoming political forum, and around implementing the 2030 Agenda in general, to leave no one behind.
SHARAN BURROW, General Secretary of the International Trade Union Confederation, said the challenges today are as severe as the world saw in 1919. The world faces a flawed model of globalization, displacement of people at levels never seen before and massive disruption from new technologies. The “magnificent vision” laid out 100 years ago is floundering. Since the 1980s, the world has seen the erosion of a social contract promising decent work and protection from exploitation. Today, inequality is overwhelming, and the concentration of wealth continues to be fuelled by corporations. Sixty per cent of the global workforce is in informal work. “Working people have simply lost trust in institutions, globalization, and in many cases, in democracy itself,” she said. The failure of the social contract has put people in the global economy at risk. It is simply time for a renewed social contract and time to realize Sustainable Development Goal 8. A new social contract should provide protection for all workers. Rights must be respected, and jobs must be decent. She called for a system that promotes fair competition and respect for rights, which is at the very heart of the Bretton Woods Institutions as well as the United Nations. “Labour is not a commodity,” she said, also adding: “Labour rights and standards cannot be denied by the market.”
EROL KIRESEPI, President of the International Organisation of Employers, said employers believe in a fair playing field in business, stressing also that a skilled workforce is the backbone of success. “We believe that ILO’s conventions and recommendations truly matter for business,” he continued, commending the agency’s work in promoting full and productive employment for all. While the future of work and business may seem like an abstract concept, demographic changes are influencing business like never before. Policies need to focus on social progress. “It is up to each of us to build a safe and prosperous future,” he emphasized. Employers want to be part of the solution. The International Organisation of Employers wants to contribute to a robust ILO that leads to finding results and ensuring decent work for all. It will continue to advocate for prosperity.
JOLLY AMATYA, Major Group for Children and Youth, said that despite great strides over the last century, regressions have been seen recently in many countries around the world. The Major Group for Children and Youth represents over 7,000 youth-led entities, including grassroots organizations, from 170 nations, she said, stressing that “we have done our homework”. Young people know that globally, $1.7 trillion is spent each year on military expenses, because economic models cannot tell the differences between instruments of war and those of well-being. Meanwhile, wages continue to stagnate despite enormous economic growth, she said, emphasizing that “unchecked growth is an existential threat”.
Demanding a move beyond gross domestic product (GDP) to indicators that measure the well-being of all people — and of the planet — she called for a transition away from undemocratic societies to ones that are inclusive of all. “What we need is collective action that is based on universality,” she stressed. Noting that young people’s trust in institutions currently stands at an all-time low, she said the latter must be reformed and brought in line with the needs and expectations of populations. Moreover, people must be viewed as more than just their “value added”, and all actors must work together for a just and peaceful planet, she stressed.
Welcome Remarks
Ms. ESPINOSA welcomed participants to the afternoon’s interactive panel discussions, inviting them to consider the many gaps and challenges yet to be tackled for the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 8. Stakeholders need to help create conditions conducive to creating 80 million jobs annually between now and 2030, while also improving the quality of work and living conditions and increasing the participation of women in the labour market. Noting that women’s participation stood at only 48 per cent in 2018 — compared to 75 per cent for men — she also drew attention to a 20 per cent gender wage gap. Spotlighting the need to help train young people for the world’s emerging technological changes, as well as such challenges as climate change, she underlined the need to include more vulnerable groups, persons with disabilities, migrants and people of African descent in the labour market. Indeed, the fourth industrial revolution must seek to improve all lives, and policies and frameworks must adapt to that new era. “Work is about much more than earning money,” she said, emphasizing that it is also about the dignity of people and serves as a prerequisite for achieving the goals enshrined in the 2030 Agenda.
Mr. RYDER said the afternoon session will invite stakeholders to examine the substance of issues that will have to be tackled by the and other international organizations going forward. “These are challenges that we have not been able to resolve over the last 100 years,” he said, citing mass unemployment, a labour market that still marginalizes many people and which in some cases feeds the most intolerable forms of injustice — including slavery and child labour. There are also new and emerging issues, including the struggle of digitalization, climate change, demographic changes, shifts in human mobility and questions about the sustainability of social protection systems. In that context, he urged participants to help “adjust our minds” to meet old and new challenges in the coming years.
JEAN-CLAUDE JUNCKER, President of the European Commission, addressed the Assembly via video-message, noting that the core values of ILO are some of the very reasons he got into politics. As the son of a steelworker, he has always believed in what the economy can do for people — rather than the other way around. Today, technology has transformed the world of work, but the core values at the heart of ILO and the European Union remain the same. Today, the bloc’s economy is improving, with investment levels rising in several key sectors, “but we know we can do much more”. Economic growth is only valuable if it brings with it social justice, he stressed, noting that people must be equipped with the right skills for both today’s and tomorrow’s job markets. The Union recognizes its obligation to adapt to future realities, with multilateralism at its core, he said.
Panel I
Participants then opened a panel discussion on the theme “Addressing Unfinished Commitments to Achieve Decent Work for All”. Moderated by Steven Greenhouse, author, former Labour and Workplace Reporter, New York Times, it featured four panellists: Ernesto Murro, Minister of Labour, Uruguay; Reema Nanavaty, Self-Employed Women's Association, India; Mthunzi Mdwaba, Chief Executive Officer, TZoro IBC; and Jeffrey D. Sachs, Director of the Centre for Sustainable Development, Columbia University.
Mr. GREENHOUSE recalled that, over the course of his journalism career, he has seen fewer and fewer media outlets covering the world of work. Instead, there has emerged a growing focus on the technology sector. Academic and professional panels on work issues often feature multiple billionaires, and there is virtually no discussion of people who earn less than $1.90 per day. Welcoming today’s discussion as a sharp contrast, he asked the panellists to consider, among other things, how countries, businesses, organizations and their labour policies can help countries focus on inclusive growth.
Mr. MURRO, noting that his country is a small one with one of the world’s most fully-fledged democracies, agreed that social justice and inclusion are vital to a healthy and productive world of work. Each nation should consider what it is doing to further the important goals of ILO, he said, spotlighting Uruguay’s efforts to increase household income levels through collective bargaining. The country has seen 17 years of sustained economic growth, bringing with it improved social justice, more stability and larger salaries and pensions. Meanwhile, the national social protection scheme reaches more than 95 per cent of retired persons and women’s participation in the informal economy has dropped significantly since 2012. Outlining several concrete policies, he said Uruguayans choose their own health-care provider but are always equipped with a State-sponsored package. Meanwhile, the country’s tax system calls on those who earn more to pay more. Nevertheless, he pledged to continue to enter into new social justice commitments in the coming years.
Ms. NANAVATY said poverty is not only a state of want but also a form of violence. Organizing is the surest way to address the double issues of poverty and the future of work, she said, adding that full employment — including security in work, food, income and social life — is the path forward to human dignity. Women workers — working in the informal sector through a system of cooperatives — are coming together to facilitate their own entry into mainstream markets and boost their competitiveness. Calling for a holistic approach that puts workers at the centre and restores balance with the environment, she emphasized that the decentralization of production and the increasingly localized distribution of goods and services will be critical to achieving those goals. Such a model will also help more women entrepreneurs improve their livelihoods, she said, adding that more policies should seek to enable collective bargaining. Moreover, she would welcome a new form of financing mechanism, based on blended finance, which would help give the poor a fair chance at long last.
Mr. MDWABA spotlighted the crucial role of responsible business conduct, noting that Sustainable Development Goal 8 can only be achieved in close cooperation with the private sector. Technological development, modernization and increased productivity “do not happen in a vacuum”, he said, calling for impactful engagement with workers and businesses on the ground. Emphasizing that an enabling business environment is about ensuring economic and political stability, building up infrastructure, facilitating investment and regularly assessing the impacts of regulation, he said ensuring decent work also means creating the right conditions for sustainable enterprise. Global productivity in some countries, including South Africa, has stagnated. National development plans must feature issues related to productivity, he said, underlining the importance of supporting small- and medium‑sized enterprises and connecting them with capital.
Mr. SACHS, responding to a question from the moderator relating to environmental protection and the future of work, declared: “There is no trade‑off between climate sanity and jobs.” While it has been shown that there can be no future at all — let alone future jobs — without a move towards a low‑carbon economy, the President of the United States still insists on attempting to bring back jobs in the carbon and oil industries. In contrast, countless jobs are emerging around renewable energy, including the retrofitting of buildings, the installation of solar panels and the development of an electricity‑based transport system. Urging all States to resist policies that seek “to take us backward in a dangerous direction”, he stressed that there will be no shortage of environmentally friendly jobs — especially in Africa and other emerging economies — in the coming decades.
Mr. MURRO, asked how Uruguay and its partners are responding to emerging labour market realities and related challenges, spotlighted his country’s institute for professional training as well as its participatory system of administration. Also underlining the importance of collective bargaining, he said the periods of Uruguay’s history with the highest levels of collective bargaining have also seen the highest incomes and best living conditions.
Mr. SACHS responded to a question about how to link economic growth with the creation of better jobs and a vibrant private sector, particularly in Africa. He said that, on that continent, there is a vital need to upgrade education systems. Warning that low‑skill and low‑education jobs will soon be gone, he said smart systems and the automation of agriculture will mean that the majority of jobs will require higher levels of schooling. “This is a race against time,” he stressed, recalling that Sustainable Development Goal 4 calls for universal quality education for all. More development aid should therefore be directed at education, he said, warning that many developed nations — especially the United States — fail to deliver on such commitments.
Ms. NANAVATY, responding to a question about how policies can help tackle lingering challenges related to child labour and modern‑day slavery, said that when full employment is not present many women require more hands at work — namely, those of their children. There is a need not only for more education, but also for community‑owned skills training centres and well‑funded lifelong learning programmes. Meanwhile, access to affordable and quality services — including childcare, health care and banking — leads to a reduction in child labour and domestic violence, she said.
Mr. MDWABA was asked a question about how partnerships between Governments, educational institutions and the private sector can be improved to enhance lifelong learning aimed at better equipping workers. Warning against throwing around grand, lofty concepts that can never be implemented in practice, he said the world is currently seeking creativity, collaboration and problem‑solving. Indeed, “re‑skilling” is one of the most crucial aspects of today’s world of work, as some 40 per cent of employers currently report challenges in filling vacant jobs. Soft skills — compared to hard skills — cannot be overtaken by automatization.
In a brief ensuing discussion, Chile’s delegate called for policies aimed at opening the door of labour markets to traditionally excluded groups, “breathing new life” into labour policies and ensuring that environmental protection goes hand in hand with economic growth. In Chile, young people are assisted in combining their work and studies, and working mothers are provided with free childcare for 24 months.
A representative of the United States International Council on Disabilities emphasized that persons with disabilities — especially young people — must be supported in developing their skills and education. Later, they must continue to be supported with social services that help them thrive, even if they possess a master’s degree, she stressed.
The panellists delivered short closing remarks relating to those topics.
Panel II
The second panel, titled “Shaping the Future of Work”, was moderated by Zain Asher, CNN International, and included the following speakers: Anniken Hauglie, Minister for Labour, Norway; Angel Gurría, Secretary‑General, Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD); Rob Acker, CEO, Salesforce.org; Winnie Byanyima, CEO, Oxfam; and Laura Ripani, Principal Specialist at the Labor Markets Division, Inter‑American Development Bank.
Ms. ASHER said that the world of work is at a turning point. It is important to consider ways myriad stakeholders could combine efforts to prepare various sectors for the future of work. “The future has time to be repaired,” she added, also emphasizing: “We have to be flexible to prepare for the changes to come.”
Ms. HAUGLIE said collaboration in the workforce sector at the national level in Norway is based on an already healthy environment in the private sector. While her country faces many challenges, it is essential to recognize the importance of social dialogue and trust. Those two must be maintained and renewed both in the private and public sectors as well as between the two. She said Norway is actively exploring and studying ways artificial intelligence will affect its workforce. Everyone must be able to obtain and have access to a decent job. Inclusion in the workplace is an essential part of the social contract between the people and their Governments.
Mr. GURRÍA said 14 per cent of jobs are at risk of being lost or displaced to automation. Another 32 per cent of the workplace is in danger of being disrupted by digital innovation. Women and girls continue to be underrepresented in the sector of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) and are therefore more vulnerable to being pushed out by innovation. One in six middle‑income workers are in jobs that are at high risk of automation. He stressed the need to reshape social protection provisions. “How do we conduct collective bargaining in order to advance the case of protecting existing jobs?” he asked, also stressing the need to explore ways to help workers in their job transition. Prevention and early intervention measures can help prevent the disruption. The more vulnerable — the lower‑skilled and middle class — are at the highest risk of losing work. “The issue is real and the danger is imminent, and public policy has to step up to the challenge,” he stressed. Only 6 out of the 28 countries in the European Union ensure that the self‑employed enjoy the same protection that the employed have.
Mr. ACKER said that every person should have the ability to thrive with the skills they need. Employees at his company are given seven paid days a year to volunteer. The workforce is changing, he added. Sixty‑five per cent of the jobs young kids today will have when they grow up do not even exist yet. “We need to repurpose quickly and have multisectoral partnerships,” he stressed, underscoring the role of educational organizations in bridging the skills gap. People must be retrained and reskilled. He said that everybody must have access to quality education. “Once you’ve opened the door, you need to have skills, which at a minimum require digital fluency,” he continued. While the science, technology, engineering and mathematics sector is important, it is not everything. Education at its root must make sure that people have the skills to work with their fellow humans in a productive way. He also emphasized the importance of lifetime learning.
Ms. BYANYIMA recalled the many struggles of workers worldwide, including women who work at a meat factory in the United States and have to wear diapers because they are not allowed a break. “To say that these women are being ‘left behind’ is a gross understatement,” she stressed, adding that the wealth of the few at the top is connected to the horrible exploitation and suffering of the many at the bottom. “We keep denying it,” she added. The rest of humanity continues to get poorer. This economic model has failed. Governments must be in the driver’s seat, being the equalizing force that the market cannot be. “We haven’t gone far enough to tackle the question of extreme capitalism,” she said. In 2018, the largest United States company paid their shareholders $3 billion per day, which could have been used to pay a $40,000 annual bonus to 28 million employees.
Ms. RIPANI said that if the kids in primary schools are going to have jobs that do not yet exist, it is important to think about how the composition of the workforce will be reshaped. This will play out in different ways, she added. Talent always remains relevant throughout the years and through all the technological changes. “Maybe I am an optimist,” she added. Turning to the digital economy, she said many of those that work for online platforms are not being protected from exploitation. New regulations must be put in place at the international level to protect the human rights and dignity of these workers. She also expressed concern that the gender bias that has existed in traditional labour markets for years now exists in the digital workforce as well. This type of behaviour has transitioned, she warned. However, there could be a positive aspect to digitization and more people working from home. With less workers engaged in the “standard 9‑5” day, less people will be travelling to the office. This could have a positive effect on the climate.
The representative of Indonesia underscored the plight and hardships faced by migrant workers, who often lack protection from exploitation, and pledged her country’s commitment to working with ILO in the future on ensuring workers’ rights.
The representative of Portugal stressed the importance of lifelong learning. “I think there is no structural reform more important and with potential to be more inclusive than ensuring access to education and lifelong learning,” he stressed. He also emphasized the need to fight discrimination in the labour market.
A representative of civil society and a youth representative also participated in the discussion.